Automobile steering gear



June 3, 1930. s, BURDETTE 1,760,935

AUTOMOBILE STEERING GEAR Filed Dec. 1; 19.24 2 Sheet-Sheet 1 INVENTOR rd S. Qurdettq,

I ATTOZN EY June 3, 1930. R. s. BURDETTE 7 AUTOMOBILE STEERING GEAR Filed Dec. 1', 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Richard 5 QSurdefla,

l ll

ATTORNEY Patented June" 3, 1930 7 o V'RICHVARD sonurannr'rn oF KRon, OHIO,

I Y j I AUTOMOBILE meme GEAR Application filed December 1; 1924. 'Ser'ial No; 753,149.

My invention relates to steering mocha-j nisms,-,and it particularly relates to a simple and inexpensive devicethat is readil'yiat tachable to the' =,steering mechanism of an 5 automobile for preventing the development of harmonicoscillationwof the frontsteering wheels of such vehicles. 1 e a j v The-object of my invention is to provide a readily attachable, simple and inexpensive device that may be;used with several difi'erent makes-0f automobiles to effectively prevent the ani'ioying harmonic vibration of the front Wheels, which is -customarily called shimmying.-' This-term is vused herein to describe the harmonic vibration of the steer- 7 ing wheels'that is characteristic ofmotor ve-L hicles havingse'nsitive and well lubricated steerin mechanisms. It iis a very usual thing v class tov develop alarming" and dGStIIICtlVQ shimmying whenthesteering mechanism is Well lubricated and adjusted for relatively easyoperationa s It has heretofore been customary to: so

tighten the'operating partsofthe steering mechanism of vehicles ;of theFord class as to reduce shimmying, buttthis is destructive of expensive bearing parts and it -renders steering difficult without entirely overcom ing the dangers and annoyance of shimmying front wheels. 7 According to my invention, I provide an inexpensive device, preferably of metal, that directly frictionally engagesone orboth of I the front steering knuckles to thereby prevent,

the development of shimmying in the front steering wheels, i

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a'perspective viewshowing a portion of the 40 front axle and steering knuckle of an auto: proposed device [applied mobile with the thereto;

Figure 2 is an outer end :elevational' View of the front steering knuckle showing the device of Figure 1' in 'operating position on the steeringknuckle V j g c Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevationalvi'ew of the inner end of the devicelshown inFigure 1, looking from the center of the axle in the direction ofthe front axle;

v Figure 9,1s across-sectional view ,of the Fo vehicles, particularly of the Ford.

vmounted thereon.-

igure dis a cross-sectional View, taken 1 substantially on the line IVs-IV of-Figure ,1; showinga top plan view of the device in which are shown in cross-section. I I v Figure 5 satopplans View of a modified position on a steering knuckle, the parts of i I r form of mydevice, showing substantiallythe 9 same cross-section of the steering knuckle as that'shown inFigure 4; 1 t

Figure 6 'safront side elevational View of e the modified form of the device shown in of the device shown in Figure5;

view of the device showing a modified form of interlocking of the portions of the dev steering knuckle showing a top plan view of an additional modification of my devicej; 1 Figure 10 is av rear side ,elevational view with thehead of the bolt cut away;

Figure 11, is ajhorizontal sectionalview of the steering'knuckle showing an additional modification of my. device in top' plan view;

; Figure 12 is a top. plan view of a simplified Figure 8 is also aninner end elevational v gure 7 'is an inner end elevational'viewof a portion of the device shown in F igure 9;

form ofmy'invention'showing portions; of

the steering knucklein section; and,

v Figure 13 is a side elevational view of the modified. form of thedeviceshown in Figure 12. Since my devicefmaybe applied to any one OfseVeral makes ofautomobiles, and since I have pairticularlyillustrated itas mounted on c *the front left steering knuckle of an automobile of theFord class, I shall first describe.

the steering knuckle general and shall then proceed" with adetailed description of the dematerial so long qev "vice audits operation; "It should be 'understood; however, that the'form of'steeringknuckle with which the device is usedis imas itmay be operatively The figures'of theaccompanyingdrawings show a portion Tofa; front axle 1 that has a p pair of arms 2and'3 between which the steering knuckle ,4 ispivotallymountedby means ofa king bolt 5. The steering knucklecom- ,7"

prises a cylindrical sleeve portion 6 having a spindle 7 for the front steering wheel (not shown) and a steering arm 8 by means of which the front wheels of the vehicle are controlled in conventional manner.

A device 10, constructed in accordance with my invention, is mounted on the steering gear shownin'the drawings: It comprises a U- shaped metal strap that encircles the arm 2 of the front axle and frictionally engages the cylindrical portion 6 of the steering knuckle 4. The U-shaped metal strap has two leg portions 11 and 12 that are connected at the base of the U by a narrow portion 13 that permits the leg portions to adjust themselves to width and taper of the portion 6 or to the surface of an irregularly formed or conical steering knuckle. Each leg portion has friction shoe part 14 that is resiliently held against the outer surface of the steering knuckle by 'a through bolt 15 that has a resilient washer under one or both ends, such as a rubber washer 16 underthe head of the bolt, or a spring lock washer 17 of conventional form under the nut of the bolt. Both of these washers urge the friction shoe against the steering knuckle to thereby create suflicient friction with the steering'knuckle to prevent the development of the harmonic shimmying motion of the front steering wheels. Since both front wheels of the conventional automobile are so connected that one wheel cannot shimmy to any appreciable degree without the other, only one such device 10 is required on the ordinary automobile, it bein usually unnecessary to impose restrain wing friction on more than one of the front to-permit a slight harmonic shimmy to, de-

velop. For this reason, the partially developed shimmy developed when previously proposed devices were used was many times more difficult to check than in the device herein proposed, which engages the steering wheel directly at the steering knuckle and thereby prevents any harmonic development of a shimmy movement'of the steering wheels into an harmonic shimmy. It is furthermore usually unnecessary to dampen the shimmy of more than one of the steering wheels because with one wheel so dampened the harmonic shimmy cannot build up to an objectionable degree.

The above theory of operation of the device satisfactorily explains tests of my device which show that only slight positive frictional engagement is all that is necessary, if the device is positioned as illustrated.

The device herein proposed frictionally engages the knuckle at every position with just sufficient yielding pressure imposed by either 'of the spring Washers to prevent even the slightest degree of shimmy. In fact, the only chance for shimmy to develop at all is because of the extreme looseness of the front Wheel on the steering'axle. Even the har-' monic shimmy motion developing from this cause is so quickly caught by my device that is does not have the opportunity to harmonically build up as in other prior proposed de vices.

Figures 5,6 and 7 illustrate a modification of my device in which two separate parts, 20 and 21-, that are suitably inter-locked by a tongue 22 which extends through a slot 23 formed in the member 21, respectively, have friction'portions or shoes 24 and 25 that are held in yielding engagement with thecylindrical portion 6 of the steering mechanism by a bolt 26 and a resilient washer 27. In this modification of my invention, a spool or spacing member 28 is mounted on the bolt 26, between the arms of the device, in order to protect the bolt from direct engagement with the cylindrical portion of the steering knuckle. The method "of operation, of this device is identical with that previously described, except that the spool insures correct seating of the friction shoes 24 and 25.

Figure 8 merely shows a modification of the tongue and groove connection that may be used in the device shown in Figures 5 and 6. The dove-tail arrangement shown in Figure 8, in which a tongue 29 registers with a slot '30, permits relative movement of the two members 20 and 21-, in order that they may adjust themselves tova ri'ous diameters, tapers, "or irregularities of the steering knuckle portions which they frictionally engage. V I 9 and 10 illustrate a modification this particular application of my invention,

the spool 33 has an eccentric square hole that is adapted to receive the bolt by means of which the eccentric spool 33 is advanced Cal toward the knuckle part 6.. The bolt is held in adjusted position by the serrated neck 31 and the spool 33 is prevented from turning on the 'bolt by the square shank of the bolt. In this form of the device, it is deemed unnecessary to connect either of the members 20 and 21 at their inner end.

In the de- 'ing engagement with the opposite sides'of' knuckle by means of a device thatincludes vices shown in Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, 'thespool is of less width than the distance between the arms20 and 21,- in order that the r spool may not bind between the arms and hold the frictional shoes 24 and 25"out of engagementwith the steering knuckle portion 6. i

Figure 11 is a further simplification of my invention, embodying asit does a pair of arms and 36 that have frictional seating portions 37 and 38, respectively formed, at one end of each portion, and adapted to Figures 12 and 13 show an additional and: greatly simplified form of the device in which substantiallyoflat members 40 and 41, each of which has a cylindrical seat i 42 formed therein, are mutually held in yield:

the portion 6 of the steering knuckle l and the portion 2 of the front axle by meansof a bolt 43,.under the head of which a resilient rubber washer 44: is confined by'a metal wash er 45 that is interposed between the head of the bolt and the rubber washer. I

The above modifications of my invention are illustrated inorder to show various methods of applying the frictional retarding'action directly to some portion. of the steering no joints or other partsthat may develop sufficient play to permit the building up of an harmonical shimmy during the operation of the vehicle.

Although I 'have shown only a few pre-- ferred applications of my invention, it ,is

obviously capable of many modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. I desire, therefore, thatv 1 only such limitationsbe imposed thereon as are set forth in the appendedclaims.

What I claim is: Y v 1. A "motor driven vehicle comprising a front axle, a steering knuckle pivotally sup,- ported from said axle, a pair of interlocking separable arms each having a frictional shoe at one end thereof, a bolt extending through said portions, and resilient means adapted to hold said frictional shoes in' yielding conknuckle and retain sai passing through the midportion of said members between-the stub axle and fork and adjustable tovar y the friction exerted on the stub axle by said members.

' 3. In combination with a frontautomobile axle and a spindle-carrying knuckle pivoted between upper and lower fork arms thereof,

front and rear inherently rigid brake members contacting with thefrontand rear sides of the knuckle and with the corresponding sides of the upper fork arm of the'axle, a

bolt passing'through said brake members bet-ween said knuckle and said upper fork 7 arm, said bolt being slidably engaged with I one of said brake members, projecting outwardly from the same and having a shoulder on its pro ect1ng portion, and a I'BSlllQIltCOIH- pression means on] saidprojecting bolt portion between saidone brake and said shoul v der, said bolt, shoulder and compression means serving to holdsaid brake members tightly against'the front and rear sides of the upper fork arm and to also-hold saidv brake members frictionally engaged with the front and-rear sides of'said'knuckle to prevent idle oscillation of the latter, p

l. In combination with "a front automobile axle and aspindle-carrying knuckle pivoted between an upper inclined fork arm and a lower fork arm of said axle; two horizontal bars contacting with the front and rearsides r of said upper fork arm and said knuckle respectively, the inner ends of said bars being turned inwardly toward each other over the upper inclined surface of said upper fork is arm, the outer ends of said bars being. turned inwardly toward each other over the usual wheel-carrying spindle of the knuckle, abolt.

between said knuckle and said upper fork arm andrpassing through the central por-x tions of said bars, and a compression spring surrounding said bolt and acting therewith to frictionally hold the two bars against said with said upper fork arm. r r,

{In witness'whereof, I have hereuntosigned my name.

d bars in engagement 'VVRICHARDJS; BURDETTE.

tact with a portion of the steering knuckle f of an automobile and with a portionof the front axle.

2. In combination with an automobile axle fork and its complementary stub axle, a friction check having two members, one on either side of, and in frictional engagement with,

the upstanding arm of the fork and the stub axle body, and a bolt which carries a' nut 

